Jay, I really liked your statement - "Self-doubt is a hallmark of the honest man." Watched "The Fog of War" twice, and believe it should be required in High School Civics class.

Until the majority of the US population recognizes the likes of Bush/Cheney types for the mere pirates they are - we will be at risk for repeating our mistakes.

The temptation for the capital holders to profit from war - must be overcome by the majorities quiet determination to precipitate peace. Our Ahmadinejad was the Bush/Cheney regime. Sewing fear to maintain control and profit for him and his friends. This phenomena we must rise above.

brad

I am a Daughter of a Vietnam Veteran. "The Fog of War" influenced me to be a peace activist. ( Yes, if I was alive back in the 60's I would be protesting that stupid war, too.)

It's been 40 years and thousands of sons and daughters of Vietnam Veterans are still living with the wounds of war.

Mr. McNamara has my respect. At least he tried to redeem himself and admit his mistakes. That's a real hero in my book.

US SOLDIERS!! RESIST!

In other nations (such as Japan)
when a leader commits crimes such as McNamara committed on the nations they will commit suicide as a genuine show of remorse. An apology is not sufficient.

He may have admitted mistakes, but that
doesn't help the many good boys who he
helped put in an early grave. He is now
where he belongs, much too late.

It took Robert McNamara over 30 years to come to grips with his guilt for the tens of thousands of US servicemembers and millions of Vietnamese that lost their lives in the pointless, insane Asian land war of which he was one of the principal architects. At least he got to live a life of hidden torment for his sins. The American and Vietnamese war dead of that era were not afforded the same "luxury". It is all too tempting for such callous Militerati in any age to throw away the countless lives filling those boots on the ground of foreign soils when the only consequence they face is the toothless judgements of history which cannot reach those who have escaped through old age or the grave. Men who feel no respect for the heartfelt convictions of their own contemporary democratic citizenry will surely feel no qualm for something as abstract as the unborn eye of some future posterity. For men such as these the only deterrent for such crimes is sure and swift exposure and legal jeopardy for their misdeeds. We face such a situation today; an opportunity to prove to the world that our Constitution and system of laws is more than just some pretty words echoing from the long dead past and that our system of justice is more than some quaint arrangements that can be tweaked and skirted as needed to protect the powerful from prosecution. Given today's modern information age we no longer need to wait generations for truths to out. The crimes of the previous administration are highly documented and available for all the world to see. There should be criminal investigations for treason and war crimes. We don't need any truth and reconciliation. The dead victims on the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan can't be reconciled. Indict all members of the Cheney-Bush administration and the members of the Project for a New American Century that were party to these crimes now! http://www.impeachbush.org/site/PageServer?pagename=homepage As for my comment being approved I don't really care; I just needed to get it off my chest. If you want to flak for these ultra-militarist beasts that's your problem.

He was nothing but a coward. Only a coward waits 25 years to admit their mistake when they know there will be no repercussions for their actions.
He had the opportunity to speak up before & during the war (much like the coward of our day, Colin Powell).
There are too many deserving heros in this world, nay, this coward should rot in the deepest pits of hell. Maybe he can save Cheney a spot, he'll surely be joining him.

McNamara is quoted in the Fog of War, saying, “War is so complex it’s beyond the ability of the human mind to comprehend....” Beyond his ability, perhaps. The truth about the Vietnam war actually is quite simple: it was never fought to achieve an unconditional victory, because of legitimate fears that this could escalate into a nuclear exchange with China or Russia. Any kid harrassed by a schoolyard bully knows he has only two choices, either fight like hell with both fists, or run like hell. Unfortunately, McNamara and the rest chose to fight... with one hand tied behind their backs. The result was inevitable.